Neck and back: what is connected with the jaw – and what is not.
You go to physiotherapy, osteopathy or massage regularly, it feels good – and after a short time the tension is back. On this page we put into perspective where the jaw system can play a role and where we honestly have to say: that is not proven.
This page goes deeper into the section Neck, back and posture complaints in our overview of complaints.
Cervical spine and jaw system: close neighbours
The cervical spine and the jaw system are controlled by shared reflexes. Both are wired via the same nuclei in the brainstem, and the deep neck muscles are in close contact with the chewing and head-holding muscles via connective tissue. That is why tension in one area affects the other – in both directions. Anyone who grinds a lot often feels it in the neck; anyone with a stiff cervical spine often bites differently.
This connection between the jaw system and the upper cervical spine is professionally well understood and widely recognised. Examining and co-treating the cervical spine is professional standard in CMD – not as an extra, but because the two belong together.
Typical patterns of complaints
- Chronic tension in the neck and shoulder area, often more pronounced on one side.
- Restricted movement when turning the head, most noticeable in the morning.
- Tender points at the base of the skull and at the shoulder blade.
- Headache that pulls from the neck to the front.
- A feeling of being tilted: head held slightly to one side, one shoulder higher.
- Tension that eases after treatment and regularly returns.
What is proven – and what is not. To be honest: for the head, face and upper cervical spine, the connection with the jaw system is well researched and understood professionally; cervical co-treatment is professional standard. For the spine as a whole, the pelvis and the feet it looks different: here the evidence is inconsistent, and a causal connection with bite position has not been proven. What we observe about it in practice is clinical experience – not established evidence. We would rather tell you that beforehand than promise you something the data do not support.
How the connection is understood
Three levels are described in the literature:
- Muscular and fascial connections. The jaw muscles, head-holding and neck muscles are connected with each other via connective tissue; tension is transmitted along these chains.
- Reflex control. The cervical spine and the jaw system are controlled by shared reflexes. This is the most robust of the three levels.
- Body posture. In our clinical experience, an unfavourable bite position can encourage compensatory postures. How far this reaches beyond the neck is scientifically open – we therefore present it as an observation, not as a mechanism.
Physiotherapy stays – and we work with it
Physiotherapy, manual therapy, osteopathy, chiropractic and orthopaedics are the guideline-oriented first line for neck and back complaints. They are effective, well researched and valuable partners for us. If you are being treated there: please continue.
Our contribution is a different and complementary one. We check the part that usually nobody in this chain measures: how the jaw system works. The CMD System Check records, among other things, muscle activity by EMG, chewing forces tooth by tooth and the movement paths of the lower jaw. If nothing unusual shows up there, we tell you just as clearly – then the cause lies elsewhere, and there is one possibility fewer left open.
You take the first step in two minutes with the CMD self-test.
When you must have it assessed by a doctor first. You need an immediate medical assessment – not CMD diagnostics:
- with numbness or tingling in the arm, hand or leg
- with loss of strength
- with complaints after a fall or accident
- with bladder or bowel disturbances
- with fever or unintended weight loss
This is not a formality, but the point at which order matters.
Frequently asked questions
Should I continue my physiotherapy?
Definitely. Physiotherapy, manual therapy and osteopathy are the guideline-oriented first line for neck and back complaints and complement CMD treatment. We are glad to work with the professionals you are already seeing.
Can neck pain really come from the jaw?
For the upper cervical spine the connection is professionally well understood: the jaw system and the cervical spine are controlled by shared reflexes and are closely linked muscularly. Whether this plays a role for you can only be clarified by an examination, not derived from the complaint.
Are the back, pelvis and feet also connected with the bite?
This is often claimed, and we observe connections in practice. Scientifically, however, the situation for the spine, pelvis and feet is inconsistent; a causal connection has not been proven. We say so openly instead of turning it into a treatment promise.
When do neck complaints belong with a doctor first?
With numbness or tingling in the arm, hand or leg, with loss of strength, after a fall or accident, with bladder or bowel disturbances, with fever or unintended weight loss: have it assessed by a doctor immediately.
Does the jaw system play a role for you?
Without obligation – with an initial assessment straight away.
Other patterns of complaints
CMD rarely shows itself in just one place. Do you recognise yourself here?